Hamilton County firefighters have been busy Wednesday morning fighting at least three blazes that may have been caused by lightening from active storms moving through the metro area. So far a home in the 14,000 block of Alderbrook Trail was heavily damaged in Carmel. The roof and the second floor of the home suffered the most damage. A home in Noblesville in the Strathaven subdivision also might have taken a hit. It was damaged by fire. The Fishers Fire Department also saw action. They battled a blaze in the 14,000 block of Christie Ann Drive. Other than property damage, there’ve been no reports thus far of injuries.

A northwest side homeowner shot a man who he says was trying to break into his house Tuesday night. IMPD found a damaged back door and damaged siding on the house in the 4900 block of Lewiston Drive. They then found the suspect. He was on a nearby porch with a gunshot wound to the arm. The 19-year-old was arrested, charged with burglary and taken to the hospital for treatment.

The father of a young murder victim told The Indianapolis Star, “To the person who killed my son, you’ve (messed) your life, too, because they’re going to find you…Now my son’s life is gone, and your life is gone, too. And because of what?” Leroy Ellis told the newspaper this in response to the shooting and killing of his son Ja’Vonne Ellis, 15, who was found dead Monday night lying in an alley near the Family Dollar store at 38th Street and Station streets. The family still wants to know why their child was killed and metro police are seeking the shooter. Call 317-262-TIPS if you have any info.

Metro police responded Wednesday morning to the call of a person shot in the leg. The unidentified victim was shot outside his apartment around 3:30 a.m., according to media reports, in the 3500 block of Pennsylvania Avenue. No word yet on his condition or identity. Police are searching for a shooter in this case.

The death of three Indiana law enforcement officers this year reflects the troubling data of a national report released by the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund. It says officer deaths in violent shootings on-duty is up well over 50-percent compared to the first half of last year. Memorial fund officials say Indiana’s loss of three officers this year is more than entire year totals going back to at least 2010.

Skeletal remains found in a wooded area in Bloomington are likely not missing IU student Lauren Spierer. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Department told “The Herald-Times,” the bones appear to be those of a male, but medical examiners will make the final determination. The remains were found Monday on the city’s east side.

Nearly 1,000 new jobs are coming to Indy. On Tuesday, home improvement chain Lowe’s announced that they are opening a customer support center in Intech Park on the city’s northwest side. The company is hoping to hire 200 employees by February and the remaining by 2016. A spokesman for Lowe’s says they chose Indianapolis because of its highly skilled workforce and unbelievable work ethic.

Indianapolis Public Schools officials say they’re overwhelmed by the number of recent teacher resignations. They say close to 200 have resigned or retired in the past three months. That’s compared to the more than 2,200 the district employed last school year. IPS officials say they’re exploring licensing and hiring, and partnering with The New Teacher Project to help with the recruitment and development of teachers.

Speaking of education, Marion County is among five counties across the state chosen for a pilot program that will allow “some of our most vulnerable children” to attend pre-K. Under the plan, low-income families with children who are four-years-old will receive grants to attend public or private pre-schools. This is Indiana’s first state-funded preschool program and is expected to reach at least 16-hundred children when it launches next year.

Indiana now ranks 27th in the country regarding being a good place to be a kid. The report comes from the 2014 Kids Count Databook from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. In education, it says more than 60 percent of eighth graders score below proficiency in math, and roughly the same percentage of fourth graders show the same lack of success in reading. It also says 22-percent of kids live in poverty, and the number is increasing faster than other states.

The ongoing fight over the healthcare reform law remains unclear. Two federal appeals courts issued opposite rulings Tuesday on health insurance subsidies. The issue is likely headed back to the U.S. Supreme Court. Indiana currently has a challenge filed and waiting for judgment on the Affordable Care Act.

Sports:

Former Colts head coach Tony Dungy is elaborating on comments he made about Michael Sam. To clarify, Dungy says his remarks about the NFL’s first openly-gay player were made just after the draft before a proposed Oprah reality show was scrapped. He says the show would’ve been distracting.

The Indiana Fever took one on the chin Tuesday night on the road. Tamika Catchings had 11 points and nine rebounds despite the Fever suffering a 60-57 loss to the Sky at Allstate Arena just outside Chicago. Marissa Coleman also had 11 points for Indiana, which fell to a 11-and-13 record. The Fever play the Stars on the road this Saturday night.

Wednesday’s weather:

Thunderstorms are moving through the metro area and are likely to continue into the afternoon. High: 80 degrees.